Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1154 — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

rn re ag ee te The meeting between the two cousins was a liar one. Percy made an elaborate bow, as hough salu a belle upon Chestnut or Broad big Then he gg xpressed eo or DM appearance, ex is regret that an oversight of his, he had brought her into unfortunate tion. Then followed a mutual exchange of experi- ences, the result of which was the conviction upon the part of our heroine that her parents had escaped. ‘I ain’t so eertain about that,” said Percy: ““T only know that they got away from their house before tae Indians reached it, and before they went through me so ypc ‘‘ But they went in the company of Old Sip, and he has taken them to his cabin in the air, ot a thousand Indians can not harm tbem. ‘* Does he live in that house stuck on the side of the rocks?” asked Percy, in amazement. “‘He and his wife spend a good deal of their time there, and if you have seen it, you can un- derstand that it is perfectly inaccessible to an “ee, ss “Yes; to ony esy for I waved my handker- chief and om — wae a and it neta do any g en off a good ways from the hat: { looked back and saw a man going up Ra x t proves they are safe. Oh! how thank- ful lam!” and in her joy at the assurance of her parents’ safety, she actually sprung u from the d and clapped her hands, wit such chil delight that all three of the In- dians looked at her, with-a curious, amused ex- pression. ‘You forget that you are a prisoner,” said Fitzsimmons, with a reproving air, “ and that I am too.” ‘* Indeed, cousin Percy, I am sorry for you, for this at the best willl be a dismal visit for you. Have hope now, especially as a brave young friend of mine is out this way engage in a hunt with Old Zip, and eer two,” she added, in a lower voice, ‘‘I think wi be able to do something for us.” ‘*Who is that fellow?’ asked Fitzsimmons, who was so struck with the fascinatin rson and manner of his cousin, that he felt fearfully jealous at once. ** Ned Hosmer, from Saint Paul; he spendsa deal of time hunting in this part of the tate. ’ ‘Why, that’s the fellow I heard Old Zip of this romeo. ‘* What did he say?’ asked Helena, with such eagerness, that Percy was quite wrathful. Seems to me, you are confoundedly inter- ested in that chap, Helena,” mein sus- “‘ Oh—now, Percy, don’t k oe she plead; “ how can I help feeling in- rested? t did he say of Ned?” “That he had gone to Alden to tell you to stay there till the storm was over.” ““Oh! isn’t that too bad? and we have passed each other on the way without knowing it!” ‘‘ By Jove!” muttered Fitzsimmons, ** but this won't do; I must see this send ri ir young- ster, and take some of the conceit out of him— but we mustm’t forget that we are in rather a bad fix,” he added, aloud, rousing himself to a sense of his danger. ‘‘ Helena, all the rest, I doubt not, will able to take care of them- selves—but what is to become of us?” This fragmentary conversation was excep- tional in every respect. In the surprise and peculiar emotions of their first meeting, and the subsequent excitement of the lady, occasioned by the news regarding her parents and her lover, both forgot that they were captives in the hands of three of the most bloodthi red-skins of the North-west—men who would shrink at no cruelty or outrage upon their helpless victims, While the latter exchanged these words, these three stood somewhat apart listening to them, aa) ie i they understood every word that was We have remarked on the general character of the attire of Percy Fitzsimmons; and of Helena have only to say, that her dress, al- though plain, was such as to make her beauty the more attracting and bewitching. Her dress was of buff linen, such as are common nowadays for traveling-suits. She wore no jewelry, ex- cept a gold watch, chain, and plain ring upon her betrothal finger—all presented to her, by her affianced, Ned Hosmer. Her hat was one of those jaunty, saucy con- trivances, that make a homely woman look well, and a handsome one bewilderingly en- chanting. She carried nothing in her hand but her Pn Sahat which was spread, when traveling m sunlight, and shut when in the woods. Old Zip’s Cabin. eg —-sses and as she stood, with flushed face, talking and listening to her cousin, there are few prettier res that can be imagined. ercy was smitten to the heart—and was cer- tain he had never encountered any thing half so lovely, while the three Indians stood looking at her, with evil eyes, equally positive in the same opinion, The object of all this admiration—althonch she ‘‘ knew herself” very well—was unconscious of the excitement she had caused. She could only think of her imperiled, but, as she now believed, saved parents, and of him compared to whom all other men were but as chaff in the balance; but, when her cousin re- minded her of their mutual r, she awoke to a sense of her situation, and shuddered as she saw the dark, evil eyes of the savages fixed upon her. The shrewd girl concluded it the part of pru- dence not to see these malignant glances of her captors, while, with a thrill of hope, she made sure by a casual movement of her hand, that her revolver was in its place, where she could seize it almost in an instant, As fortune would have it, the party had halted near a fallen tree, upon which Fitzsim- mons took his seat and invited his cousin to do oe Will"you tak harge of f” ill you take co of my parasolf” she asked, handing it to him, as she accepted the proffered seat, ‘With all the pleasure in the world,” he re- ae rising and doffing his hat like a veritable hesterfiel , and little suspecting that the true reason Of this request, was that her hands might be free, so as the better to use her pistol should occasion demand. When they had seated themselves thus, two of the Indiansthrew themselves upon the groun where they were within reach, while the thi started off in quest of game for supper. The sun had set, and it was already growing dark in the woods, and, although, as has been remarked in another ce, there was quite a bright moon, the fo with its towering trees and dense undergrowth, made the gloom almost like that of midnight. But before it was fairly dark, one of the sav- ages kindled a fire, which, as the night was quite warm, was undoubtedly intended to codk what- ever game might be brought in. “Are you hungry, cousin Helena?” asked Percy, in a cautious voice, as he observed these pre tions, ‘Well, yes, I feel the need of food,” she re- plied with a lau eres Se ces nth sina it until to-mor- row mee soeeely, if necessary—but why do you “‘ They will offer you meat, won’t they?” “‘I suppose so; if they don’t I shall ask them 7 for it.” Tana, I was going to advise you not to eat ‘Why not? I know they are not very tidy in appearance, but I can ‘focnet that at such a time as this,” Fitzsimmons edged up somewhat nearer his cousin, sO as to make sure that no one haa and then said, in a ‘hasty, hurried under- ne: ‘I’m going to poison the meat !” “What!” athe gasped, one, Saag and facing him, as if uncertain that she had heard aright. nays ’'m going to poison their meat!” he repeated Mm a sepulchral voice, as if horrified at the sou of his own words. < How can you do that?” ‘I have a paper of arsenic that I got out of your cellar, Y a0 aoe it was put there to poison rats, but I wil put it to a nobler use,” elena turned pale; there was something so dreadful in the plan proposed by her cousin that her soul revolted. ‘‘Don’t do it, Percy,” she said, after a mo- ment’s pause. ** Why not?” “It is too dreadful; it seems too much like downright murder,” ‘I can’t see it in that light,” he replied, rather petulantly. ‘I believe they intend to kill us both, and as they stole my weapons, porate only way I have of getting even with em. ‘‘ They have not stolen mine,” she said, signi- ficantly. It was now the turn of Fitzsimmons to lok ‘ate and he asked, in the same sepulchral ne: “What wdapons bave you got?” ‘A seve HAC revoke? “Ts it loaded?” a Se eee it would be ef no ac- coun “‘Ain’t that bully! Just slip it areund the log, and drop it on the ground; then I'll drop my hat ide of it, and pick them both up them I'll sit here and sight each of those fellows in turn and mE oe them over like so many ten-pins; then we'll get up, arrange our toilet, and take a moonlight promenade to the cabin in the air.” Fitesimmons was earnest in this proposal, buti Helena was in no mre of accepting it. She shook her head decidedly. “IT think, Percy, I can fire a pistol with as much accu as you, and possibly with more,”” ““T don’t doubt that—but then think of the fitness of things: it’s a man’s place to save a woman, not vice versa,” ‘When fortune has placed the opportunity in his hands.” “‘No matter in what shape,” Fitzsimmons hastened to say, ‘‘ which brings us back to the ‘cold potson’ in.” But the maiden shook her head. ‘Tt seems to me like a crime to do any thing in such cold blood as that.” | ‘“‘And how do you propose to handle your pistol?” ‘* Not to use it, unless violence is offered, anv ni s shall not fire until after I have warned erm, ‘“Too chivalrous altogether; but, here comes a haunch of something or other,” ‘It is a ata of a sheep,” said Helena, as the Indian rought itup by the bright light of the camp-fire; ‘I have no doubt it has been taken from our own flock.” ‘““Which makes the crime all the bbe : they are going to prepare su sure enough. Such was the case, and little time was wasted by the Sioux. With their a hunting-knives it required but a few minutes for them to dress the meat, which was skewered on pieces of wood, and then turned over the while it rapidly cooked. Percy Fitesimmons was filled with a stern ro- solve, for he believed that the critical time was at hand. Without any hint to his cousin of his " he rose from the tree, and walked to where the squatting Sioux was toasting his face, almost as much as the meat, and remarked, in the bland- est of voices: “It will give me great pleasure, my dear fel- low, to relieve bo at what I judge to be a task not absolutely from embarrassing accom- paniments.” While it can not be said that the red-skin un- derstood this magnificent jumble of words, he et gained an idea of the meaning of the prof- for, and he stbmitted the superintendence to the white man, grunting ouf: ‘Take care—much burn—so go—much t’ink.” ‘'That’s the opinion I have always expressed,” replied Percy, as he perched himself alongside the blasting ciahers, and made his first essay in the culin art, As he did so, he cast a furtive glance toward ape upon whose face the firelight shone full and fair. Her looks showed that she divined his pur- , and she shook her head asa warning for im not to attempt a scheme that seemed to her little short of the diabolical. “Itis a distinguishing trait of the Fitzsim- mons family, from Richard Plan net down to the present generation, that they always stuck toa thing, when they undertook it, unless they concluded it more prudent to give it up, which I don’t think in the present circumstances, so the thing must go a or something shall] be broke.” When Fita#mmons came to reflect upon the vity of the thing he had undertaken, involy- ing as it did the lives of the three persons, it can scarcely be wondered that he felt somewhat “shaky,” and wished the *‘ confounded thing ” was over. But grave as was the business he was none the less resolved upon undertaking it and carrying it through, if such a thing were within the range of human possibility. The difficulty was to get the whitish powder 3g: the meat, without attracting the notice of the Sioux, who are always suspicious, but a cool head and steady hand were all that ‘@ 3 neces: In changing the stick from one pan to ar~ other, it was comparatively easy to flirt a little of the deadly mineral upon the cooking meat. This could be repeated several times, when there ought to be enough “‘ death” in the food to lay out a dozen men, Grasping the stick with his left hand, Percy comicbooks